New CT scanner arrives at hospital

New equipment

COLLINGWOOD – A new CT scanner arrived at Collingwood General & Marine Hospital this week.
Replacing an 11-year-old unit, the new CT will be a leap forward in medical imaging and diagnosis. Brand new technology created by Toshiba, this CT will be the first of its kind in Ontario.The high resolution and speed of this equipment is much more efficient, helping to keep up with the increasing volume of tests at our community hospital. The new CT scanner will arrive at the hospital on Tuesday and will be operational on Nov. 26.
"The new scanner means shorter scan times, which is a huge benefit for patients. Operationally we will save money because the repair and maintenance costs will decrease. We will also see an increase in throughput resulting in a decrease in wait times," said Micheline Menard, Manager of Diagnostic Imaging at the Collingwood G&M Hospital."The new scanner gives us the potential for advanced clinical imaging which is a benefit to patients and the medical community.With this new technology, we will be able to perform tests that we have never been able to before.Upgrading from a 4 slice to a 160 slice CT scanner will enhance the clarity and the detail of images."
In addition to the CT scanner, the hospital also gets a new x-ray machine.
The new digital X-ray unit was installed in October and is fully functional.Over 32,000 x-ray images are taken every year at the Collingwood G&M Hospital, not just in the Diagnostic Imaging Department but also in Emergency, Operating Rooms and inpatient departments for critically ill patients. The X-ray unit had to be replaced because it was no longer being supported by the manufacturer and was expensive to fix. With this new and improved equipment in place, the hospital is better prepared to handle the volume of x-ray tests done on a daily basis and during the busy ski season.
The purchase of the new CT and X-ray equipment as well as the renovation costs will be funded by community donations to the New Age of Care Campaign.The urgency of the need to replace the old CT and X-ray has driven the decision to make the purchase prior to the successful conclusion of the fundraising campaign.Interim financing for this project has been arranged until such time as the New Age of Care Campaign reaches its $10 million goal.

President and CEO, Linda Davis, is pleased to see the new equipment coming to the hospital.
"The G&M continues to strive to provide the best possible diagnostic tools in order to ensure high quality and efficient patient care.We have the community to thank for helping us make this a reality", she said.